A Crafty Lady Makes a Visit

Hello, My blogger, Blogging friends.  Yes it's been a while, quite a while !! I miss being here so much! I hope all is well with you all... One day I hope to be back here on a regular basis.

Anywho... A visit from a crafty lady ( Vicki Hay ) prompted this current post  and I'm so happy I'm off work today to introduce her and share her craft with you.

I find these sexy ladies  unique, bold, and contemporary.  I can see these accented in a home with a contemporary style.   Black leather furniture and large abstract paintings come to my mind, but design styles are endless and fun to explore especially when we are accenting with unique planters such as these.

 The one above is my favorite, I like the crazy curly grasses. 

  below:  I excerpted Vicki's  tips and instructions from the comment form on my May 18th, 2013 post and added the photos she provided.

 http://vetsysview.blogspot.com/2013/05/diy-garden-head-project.html#comment-form

Vicki:   " hi there..i made 1 also but i used a drill hole bit that makes a hole for your door handle. drilled into head still messes job then sealed polystyrene.. layered with pond liner/waterproofed added pot and plant...my lady was a black velvet head added crazy grass looks like a bad perm she looks great.....cheers

Vicki:    "if you cut the polystyrene head in half scoop out middle then use this as a mold to make concrete ones then concrete plaster bits together....or use molding clay layer over head and cut that in half for a mold to make.

Vicki  Thank you for stopping by my blog and sharing your head planters and tips with us.. Nice to meet you... "Vetsy :)

Styrofoam head planter " Ebony"

These Styrofoam head planters can really become addictive because for one, they are easy to make and 2 the ideas for creativity are endless,  Google it and just see what you'll find.. You'd be amazed at all the unique and creative ideas that people have come up with.



 






My latest is Ebony.  I followed the same steps as I did with April rose, here's that link if you missed it. http://vetsysview.blogspot.com/2013_05_01_archive.html

 but this time I added a little green tint to the face by dabbing it with Acrylic green paint. 

  I had not decided as of yet what flowers to use in her head...  But my sister came up with this idea..  She happened to have a few chickens and hens and placed one in my foam head.... and I think I like it! 

I'll watch to see how she evolves as the plants take root and spread out... The great thing about this is that I can always swop it out if I don't like it...

Thank you for stopping by.... Do leave a comment I love to hear from you.

My second attempt with April Rose

My Foam head planter April rose was a hit with me last year. I really loved this project and I have learned a couple of things about using foam heads as planters along the way. 

Making foam head planters is fun and easy... This as I stated is the second year that I've used this planter and she has weathered last years.. Rain, heat, ice and snow... Yes snow...we did get some last year.. enough to make a few southern kids excited enough to go sit in it and make snowmen..

             Here's a young teen below, she was so excited I guess she forgot what a coat was. Snow no longer excites this Northern girl with Southern roots... I grew up in the stuff and don't care to see any more of it Ever! Not a slight dusting... Not even in a picture.

Anywho....April rose survived all of that and was fine until my neighbors across the hall who were moving knocked her over onto the sidewalk. A couple of months later I noticed that her face began to peel..

 

So she was due for a re-touch. I noticed after I retouched her... her features had faded. I was dumbfounded and mortified I had not the slightest idea as to how I should fix her..


Maybe, I thought to myself..... I should just paint a face on her, but that thought scarred me...

What if she doesn't look right?  adding a face would change her character and move her away from the stone like appeal that I was trying to achieve.

So in paint shop on my computer I superimposed  how I thought she may look with a painted face.. Not comfortable with this decision or the look... I posted this question to my hometalk bloggers and several of them voted... NOT to PAINT! a few others said to just give her a little shading to bring her features back out.

 I chose to shade her just a little around her nose and eyebrows with a darker grey Acrylic paint that I applied with a brush... I think I like the results... I can't wait for the plants to talk hold and cascade down the sides of her head.. I'll update as she progresses.

                        So here's what I learned .....Foam head planters can last for sometime...

 I learned that from the original creator Jessica Cramer at hometlk.com and the fact that I have her a second year..(2) They will last through all sorts of weather as long as you apply protective coating....

(3) The painting will peel if they are scrapped or knocked over. 

(4) If you re-paint a foam face.. Keep in mind that the features will fade. You maybe able to fix it...if not.. It will probably be better to start over with a new head.

(5) One can be really creative with this project...You can add all sorts of plants.. real and fake alike...
Paint faces on.. or leave it as is... Try it I bet you'll like it! and I bet you'll come up with some fabulous planter ideas.                  
                                                  Do share! I'd love to see what you create!

Future Spring Projects starring April Rose and Friends

 
Hello my blogger, blogging friends. I hate that I'm not here as often as I would like. I hope to picks things back up in the near future... I love the benefits that blogging  has brought me...because for one, it has been a wonderful source for Journaling, meeting new friends and learning new things.

 This is also why I joined Hometalk.com a home and garden hub for people who enjoy DIY projects.
So between hometalk and blogger I'll be posting when time permits.. So without futher ado here's the latest.

I had to re-paint April Rose... ( photo above)  she was knocked over last winter by some neighbors who were moving and she began to peel.  If you are not familiar with her, take a look by clicking below:
.http://vetsysview.blogspot.com/2013/05/diy-garden-head-project.html


Here she is re-painted with her friend on the balcony. It is raining to day so my plans  to complete them are on hold..  April rose is in the background to the left, her friend is on the right.

 I purchased Bamboo poles to hold them up, I don't now why I didn't think to do this last year with April rose she may not have been so easy to knock over.

Candytuf and purple creeping phlox wait to adorn their heads. I chose these because they have trailing habits and I like them... I hoping that these will have room to spread and grow.. I didn't consider the depth and space .. I have a habit of purchasing things that I like so I'm not sure if these will work in their heads..But the good news is I can swop them out..... Stay tuned and Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment..

Learning to Save and to Care for a Crown of Thorn

http://www.hometalk.com/2858812/learning-to-save-and-to-care-for-a-crown-of-thorn

Click my hometalk link to see more...

Should more than one Christmas Cactus share the same pot?

http://www.hometalk.com/2750411/potting-more-than-one-christmas-cactus-in-the-same-pot

HI my fellow blogging bloggers this is a question that I posted on my hometalk page click the link above to learn more...Do leave a comment... Thanks I'd love to hear from you... Merry Christmas!

A Little Whimsy

I like a little Whimsy here and there...but I do not like it everywhere" LoL!
 I sound like the Cat in the Hat!

Whimsical characters add a little fun to the garden, porch, patio, or where- ever you chose to place them. There are so many cute little characters both big and small ...It can be hard not to over do it!

For example: I like cats, dogs, kids, birds, bird houses..Suns, Moons, turtles, frogs, Chickens, Roasters, Cows,...Dare I go on! Where would I place them all!

What about you? What Whimsical characters do you like?  Below are three little ladies that I have recently collected I love their little faces.

 

Lisa likes snails...Notice her hair..she looks like a little bug herself

 

    Janet likes Ladybugs and apparently a lot of water.. 

Sharon is a rose queen.. She likes climbing roses the best because they have less thorns...

Thanks for stopping by..Do live a comment and have a great day!